Munnsville, NY – A fire that ripped through the old Munnsville Hotel apartment building leaving residents homeless and kept firefighters on the scene for about six hours started in the front corner of the second story, the Madison County fire coordinator said this morning.

The fire that traveled through the front wall of the building and into the attic space is under investigation, but is not considered suspicious, said Joseph M. DeFrancisco, the county’s fire coordinator.

None of the building’s residents or firefighters were injured, he said.

The three-story building was built in the 1850s, owner Laurence Keenan, said this morning. It has nine apartments, five of which are rented, he said.

Keenan, who lives in the building, said he was home at the time the fire was discovered. "Fire alarms went off and everyone got out," he said.

Keenan said he's owned the building for 24 and a half years. He said he will decide whether to rebuild after speaking today with the insurance company.

American Red Cross workers were on the scene and have opened case files for three families, including four adults, who lived in the building, said Matt Michael, the chief communications officer for the American Red Cross Central New York Region. One family of two adults was given hotel accommodations and all will receive food and clothing, he said.

DeFrancisco said he does not believe the building can be saved given the damage caused by fire and water.

Firefighters were called to the building on Route 46 at 9:16 p.m. Thursday.

The building that was “well over 100 years old” has been remodeled many times over the years presenting firefighters with some challenges as they battled flames, DeFrancisco said.

There were void spaces in the attic and several layers of roofing, including a metal roof that trapped heat and flames, he said.

"There's a lot of good work that went into fighting that fire," the coordinator said.

The fire was brought under control by 10:37 p.m., according to Madison County 911 dispatchers.

Firefighters then began a long overhaul of the scene opening up areas of the building to put out hot spots to make sure the fire was completely out, DeFrancisco said.

“That was grueling work,” he said.

Additional firefighters were brought in to aid with the overhaul, as firefighters worked in shifts to avoid becoming exhausted, he said.

The last firefighters left the scene at 3:04 a.m. this morning, dispatchers said.

Pamela McCarthy, who died on June 12 after a confrontation with a state trooper that was blamed on her being high on “bath salts,” lived in the apartment complex.